Improvement in gathering-attachment for sewing-machine



its.

WALKER B. BARTRAM, OIF DANBURY,A CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 83,592, dated November 3, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATHERING-ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same. l

To 4all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Wankna B. BARTRAM, of Danbury, in the county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and improved Gathering- Apparatns for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the drawings, and the iigurcs and letters of reference thereon, accompanying this spcciiication, and forming part ofthe same.

Figure l. of the said drawings is aview of my invention attached to and in use upon a sewing-machine.

Figure 2 shows an end view of the apparatus, as attached in proper position to the cloth-plate of the machine. p

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical and horizontal projections of the apparatus detached from the machine.

Similar lettersfoi reference indicate like parts in the several drawings. Y

My invention consists in the combination andarrangement of a series of ilexible metallic blades for holding and guiding two strips or pieces of cloth in such manner, in a sewing-machine, that the under strip shall be fed along to the needle faster than the upper, so that, when the two are united together by the thread, the lower strip will form a series of gathers, securely attached to the upper strip by the stitches formed by the machine.

To enable others skilled .in the art to make and use my invention, l will describe its construction and operl having-a slot cut into it, of sufficient width to allow the material to pass through it, as shown in fig. 3.

The other end of the blade is provided with a screwhole for the admission of a clamp-screw, to securethe apparatus t the machine. y

The upper blade, c, is riveted or otherwise secured to the blade B, at one end, with its front edge nearly on a line with the rear edge ofthe slot.

This blade, a, is curved, to raise it from the surface ofthe lower blade, so as not to bear upon the material at the pinc its point, however, is bent down so as to press on 'theblade beneath it. It acts to keep the edge ofthe upper strip of cloth up against the guide-pin c, as the material is advanced by the feeding-mechanism.

The blade b is bent or sprung up at its outer end, as

- shown in fig. 4, to keep the edge ofthe lower strip, that the needle, as it is placed nearer to or farther from vthe saine, so will the line of sewing be made either closer to or farther from the edge of the material. For this purpose, the attachment e may be made adjustable, by constructing it with a slot in the place of the screwhole, or by any other equivalent means that may suggest itself.

lhe attachment being properly fastened to the plate of the machine, the under one of the two strips of material is passed through the slot or opening between the blades Bv b, and under the blade B, between-'it and the plate of the machine. The upper strip is passed under the spring-blade a, between it and the blade B. lhe presser-foot of the machine is brought down on the material, and the machine put in motion.

It will be obvious that', as the feed acts upon the goods, the lower strip, C', will be fed along faster than the upper one, C, as the blades between which this strip passes will tend to hold the strip back, and retard its movements; consequently, the lower strip will be sewed-to the upper in a gathered condition.

Having thus fully described my invention, I will state what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

I am aware that a separator has been used, to part two strips or pieces of material, in ruling-machines, and I therefore do not claim such separator; but

l claim the within-described gathering-attac]nnent for sewing-machines, composed of three elastic blades or plates, B b a, all arranged rclati-velyto each other, as shown, and constructed to guide and give the required pressure to the strips oi' material to be gathered, as described and speciiied.

WALKER- B. BARLRAM. Witnesses:

H. B. FAN'roN, DAvID B. Boom. 

